Columns

Your grassroots need some Miracle-Gro, PM

‘You can’t always get what you want” should be David Cameron’s slogan at the
next general election. At least the Rolling Stones lyric would be honest and
speak directly to those Conservatives he has alienated.

Grassroots Tories are realists. They have to be. They know that the reality of
a Conservative-led coalition is that they can’t get what they want, which
for them means sweeping tax cuts, an end to most immigration, no more talk
about gay marriage (and a bit less talk about equality generally). Oh, and
Britain pulling out of the European Union.

While it is easy to argue that Cameron is right to deny traditional Tories
their half-baked wish list, it is becoming harder to defend his almost
pig-headed determination to deprive them of their more basic, sane ambitions
— things that would make them feel welcome in their own party again.